Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-01-29

Randolph, '
On a beautiful summers day a
great festival was held in the Prater
at Vienna. The Prater is very large
public park, full of stately trees, and
is the chief promenade and place of
amusement of the Viennese. Many
people were streaming out, young
and old, gentle and simple, enjoying
their holiday. Many strangers came
also, who rejoiced at the peoples
pleasure. Where men are joyful,
there he who is cast upon the mercy
of his more fortunate fellow-man has
something to hope for. So there was
crowd Of beggars, organ-grinders
and harp-girls, trying to earn trifie.
There lived in Vienna at that time,
disabled soldier, whose pension was
not sufficient for his support. He
would not beg; ne used, therefore, to
take the violin, which he had learned
to play from his father, a Bohemian,
and play under tree in the Prater.
He had trained his dog to sit before
him and hold an old hat in his mouth,
into which people could throw what
ever they wished to give him. To
day, he stood in his accustomed place
and played as usual; his dog sat before
him with the hat; but the crowd
went by and the hat remained empty.
Had the people looked at him, they
must have had compassion. The thin
white hair scarcely covered his head,
his spare form was wrapped in a
coarse soldiers cloak. He had fought
in many battles, and almost every
one had given him scar as a
memento, which there was no danger
of his losing. Only three fingers on
his right hand held the bow. A
grape-shot had carried away the other
two at Aspern, and almost at the
same time, ball had taken off leg.
And yet to-day the joyful people
looked not at him, although he had
bought strings for his violin with his
last penny, and played with all his
might the old marches and dances.
Sorrowfully and sadly the old man
looked at the surging mass, the joy
full faces and the proud splendor of
their attire. A sting pierced his soul
at their laughter-this night he must
60 hungry to his straw-bed in the
garnet. Indeed his dog was better
off; he might find on the way home a
bone under the gutter-stone, with
which to quiet his hunger.
Already it was late in the afternoon.
His hope was as near setting as the
sun; for the promenaders were return
ing home. A deep sorrow settled on
the weather-beaten Scared face. He
had no idea that not far from him
stood richly-dressed man, who had
listened to him with an expression of
deep-felt sympathy.At last all seemed
fruitless, and the tired hand could no
more guide the bow, his leg could no
longer support him; he sat down on
stone, rested his brow on his hand,
and the ground which told nothing
again drank in his secret tears.
But the gentleman, who leaned
against the trunk of an old linden,
had seen his effort to hide the traces
Of his sorrow. 1t was as if the tears
had fallen like boiling hot drops on
his own heart. He stepped up quick
ly, handed a gold-Eiece to the old
man and said:
"Lend me your violin little
while"
The sorrowful eyes were raised
with gratitude to the stranger, who
continued with foreign accent:
Companion, take up the gold and
will play"
Soon the old man looked curiously
at his violin, and thought it was nj
longer the same, for the sound wen
wonderfully into the soul, and the
tones rolled away like pearls. Some
times it was as if the angels voice:
were rejoicing in the violin, and ther
again, as though the tones were com
planning in deep suffering, which 81
moved the heart that the eyes be
came moist.
The people now remained standing
and looking at the stately gentleman
and listening to the wonderful tones
everyone saw that the master played
for the poor man, but none recognized
him. Even the carriages of gentr.
stopped. And the main point wa
that every one saw what the strang
musician intended, and gave gen
erously. Gold, silver and copper fel
- ln hon y